BBPA hits back at 'code critics'
The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has hit back at claims that it has not been open regarding its proposed new pubco code of practice.
Responding to claims by campaign group Fair Pint yesterday that it was unwilling to publish details of its agreement with the BII and the FLVA, BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said her organisation had been "assiduous" in informing as many people as possible of its planned actions.
In a lengthy statement Simmonds said: "We first published the headlines of the agreement and the core elements of the code on October 14.
"All MPs have received these details in specific briefing papers on two separate occasions and we have provided the details to government, the OFT, the BIS Committee and the Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG)."
The BBPA's critics, including Save The Pub Group chairman Greg Mulholland MP, slammed the trade body for appearing not to want to engage in a debate over the pub sector's future.
Simmonds responded by saying the organisation had "openly responded to any and all questions from the media about the code and most recently briefed a panel of APPBG MPs".
She went on: "We have been assiduous in ensuring that as many people as possible know precisely what actions we are going to take. We have been equally open and clear about the timetable for turning the agreement into a complete code and that is what we are sticking to."
Simmonds denied Fair Pint's claim that people had been left in the dark over the agreement. The campaign group had warned that unless the BBPA published today details of its deal with the BII and the FLVA it would do so on its own website.
"All the parties know precisely what the pub industry agreement we reached with BII and FLVA contains," Simmonds argued, "because exactly the same detailed offer has been made to them also. The door remains open to anyone to work with us on implementing this code.
"We are as keen as anyone else to have this far more detailed document out in the public domain. It will certainly be ready in time for presentation to and scrutiny by the public forum of the BIS Select Committee.
"The code is a direct response to the shortcomings in our sector highlighted by the committee, which we have acknowledged and addressed.
"It has very much been a catalyst for change and it is therefore wholly appropriate that they are the body that has the opportunity to examine the content of the code in detail."
